Iowa State fraternity suspended following bonfire

After adding couches to their firepit, the fire grew out of control, its heat causing a window to crack. The fraternity, Delta Chi, lost the opportunity to lease again in January after other indiscretions.
Wochit

The decision to throw in couches and other furniture items led to a call to police and damage to the building.(Photo: Special to the Register)

The university’s Office of Student Conduct on July 30 placed an interim suspension of organizational privileges on the ISU chapter of Delta Chi. The suspension means Delta Chi was immediately denied “university privileges” and was excluded from campus activities.

According to the Office of Student Conduct’s website, the suspension is issued when an organization’s “continued presence on the campus creates a continuing danger to persons or property or constitutes an ongoing threat of disruption to the academic process.” The fraternity also has the chance to tell the university why the suspension isn’t “warranted.”

The suspension came after some Delta Chi members started a bonfire at their apartment building July 22 at the corner of Knapp Street and Welch Avenue. Security camera video showed people adding couches and cushions to the blaze, causing the flames to rise higher. Ames police were called, and firefighters eventually had to put the fire out.

One fraternity member was cited for open burning, which is punishable by a $135 fine.

The fire came in the final days of Delta Chi’s lease at the building. Early this year, RentAmes Property Management told the fraternity it wouldn’t offer it a new lease because of unsafe alcohol-related incidents. Delta Chi had rented out the whole building for the past three years.

A property manager with RentAmes told the Register last week that his company would no longer rent to other Greek organizations after the fire.

Damage from the fire cracked at least one window in the building.

Online disciplinary records show that until last month, Delta Chi hadn't faced any disciplinary actions since at least June 2014.